Murder in the First
by DreamerDayjob
Summary: At a young age, Elsa witnesses the brutal murder of her parents. Now, many years later, Elsa is hell-bent on finding her parents' killer. To do so, she will need help. When she stumbles across Detective Jack Frost, things are starting to look up. Until she realises that her own life is in danger. (AU with powers)
1. Murder Witness

**_AN: Hey people! So, I'm not sure how this story will do, but I've just had this idea floating around in my head and decided to write it. This is my first ROTG/Frozen fanfiction, so I hope you like it. This chapter will be more introductory more than anything else, just to get the basis of the story out there and if you guys show interest I'll continue with it. There will be no Jack in this chapter (darn it) but hopefully he'll enter soon. This is a Jelsa (Jack/Elsa) pairing...YAY! Please forgive me if I don't update this regularly, as I have a life outside of this as well as another ongoing fanfiction. (P.S. Please feel free to read my other fanfictions if you're an Arrow fan). Also forgive any spelling errors I might make, 'cause no matter how many times I proof read the damned thing, there always seems to be one or two errors that slip past me. Anyway, please enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Rise of the Guardians, but if I did I'd totally make a crossover movie!_**

Chapter 1

I'm running. It's dark all around me and I can barely see the street stretching out in front of me, but I keep on running. My mind swirls as I think of what just happened. What I saw... He killed them and now he's after me. I throw glance over my shoulder and stare into the glowing golden-yellow eyes that are chasing me. I push myself harder, my thin legs going as fast as they can. My lungs are burning, begging for oxygen, but I ignore their desperate plea. Black spots obscure my vision as my body starts to give in. His big hands are on my neck and I'm choking. My screams come out stangled. I can't see his face, all I can see are his eyes.

"Foolish girl! If you had not been there to see it, I might have let you live. You've seen too much. You know too much...I always finish what I start."

I wake up with a loud gasp that breaks into a sob. My sheets are tangled around my legs and my body is covered with a thin layer of sweat. _It was just a dream Elsa..._ Except it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. Well the most of it anyway. The only part that's not true, is him finding me. It's strange, I don't really know who _he_ is. That night, that fateful night, all I saw of him was his golden yellow eyes...

(Flashback)

I was lying in my bed back in my hometown Arendelle. I usually fell asleep instantly, but that night my mind had other plans. It could have been because Anna's first birthday was the following day. Or it was because of the..._changes_ I'd noticed... Like how my hot chocolate suddenly turned ice cold once I touched the mug, how my finger tips would turn cold every time I got emotional. The biggest and most recent change happened earlier that day.

I was running through the hallway, playing with Anna, when suddenly I turned a sharp corner and crashed straight into a small table. It hurt a little, but I wasn't worried about the pain. All I could acknowledge was the sound of glass shattering against the hard wooden floor of the living room. I had broken my mother's vase. My eyes grew wide, tears burning behind them. I'd never broken anything up until that point. My mother raced into the room with worried eyes and scanned both of us for injuries. Luckily Anna was a fair distance from the spray of glass and I too was unharmed.

My mother sighed in relief. She then turned to me with a stern, yet understanding, expression.

"Elsa, did you knock over this vase?"

She knew that I did, she just wanted me to tell the truth. And that's exactly what I did.

"Yes mama.", I replied, looking down. "I'm sorry, mama..."

I suddenly burst into tears. I couldn't stand disappointing my parents. I loved them more than anything. I started to feel the coldness rush into my fingers, but I ignored it for once. Suddenly I felt something soft and cold tickle my nose. I heard my mother gasp. I opened my eyes to find a thin layer of snow covering the floor around me. It wasn't much, just a little pile of snow at my feet, but I knew that I had caused it. My eyes widened. I looked up at my mother, expecting her to be horrified by her monster of a child. Instead I saw her eyes wide with wonder. She then sprung into action, ushering a yawning Anna out of the room and fetching a bucket and mop for the melting snow. All I could do was watch as my mother cleaned up the mess I'd made. Soon all signs of my breakdown had been disposed of.

My mother and I sat down on the couch. I clutched onto her tightly.

"M-mama...what's w-wrong with me?"

I felt her hold on me tighten as she kissed the top of my head.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Elsa. You are my perfect little princess."

"No, I'm not! Strange things happen when I'm sad! Mama, I'm scared... Am I cursed?"

She turned me in her arms to look me in the eyes. She spoke softly as if telling me a secret.

"Oh, my little Snowflake. You are most definitely not cursed..._Gifted_ is a more accurate word. I'm going to tell you a secret, okay? But you must promise to not tell anyone, not even your father or Anna."

I nodded my head eagerly.

"Many years ago there was a secret magic in the land of Arendelle. There were trolls hiding in the forest and townspeople with gifts much like your own. A woman named Eira being one of them. She is one of your ancestors. She was blessed with the ability to control ice and snow. She lived her life normally, keeping her gift a secret. Eventually the townspeople found out about the gifted people and wiped them out entirely. Or so they thought.

"Eira had a daughter who also possessed her gift. It has been passed on for many generations. I myself have it in my blood, but I do not possess the gift of controlling ice and snow. Your grandfather could also not use the gift. You however...you are special, my little Snowflake. You are the first person in four generations who has received the gift."

I looked at her in wonder.

"This gift will protect you and give you great joy in your life, but ,if not controlled, it can also be dangerous. Therefore I shall teach you how to control your powers and emotions, but you must never reveal your gift to the world. It'll be just between us two. Promise me that, Snowflake?"

"I promise, mama."

She hugged me tightly.

So that night as I laid in bed, sleep evaded me. I mean, that's a lot for a six year old to take in. The house was eerily quiet that night. Mostly because Anna was sleeping over at a friend from daycare. Mother and father wanted to surprise her with a huge party once she got home the next morning. I sighed and sat up in bed, looking out of the window to see our front lawn covered with pink streamers and helium balloons tied to the white picket fence surrounding our house. When the decorations had been put up in the late afternoon it looked quite pretty. At night though, it seemed to lose its charm...

Suddenly there was a crash and a blood curdling scream that made my blood turn to ice. Then again, it might have been my powers flowing through my veins. Despite my better judgement, I made my way towards the origin of the sound. I cautiously opened the door and quietly padded down the stairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I stopped in my tracks. I took in the horrific scene before me.

My mother laid sprawled on the floor in a puddle of her own blood. A sharp black object was protruding from her chest. Her breathing was laboured and she was struggling to stay alive. I then became aware of the dark masculine figure creeping towards her. I was about to shout to her when my father raced in, tackling the man to the ground. I watched as they struggled, before the unimaginable happened. Out of nowhere, the man seemed to obtain a black knife similar to the one in my mother's chest. Before I had the chance to look away, he slashed the knife across my father's throat. I didn't have to check. I knew he was dead. My mother seemed to be semi-conscious at this point. Her eyes found mine and widened as she assessed the situation. With the little strength that she had left, she managed to mouth one word with a clear message: 'Run'

I looked up at the man. He was still occupied, hunched over my father. When my eyes returned to my mother's, it was too late. Her chest had stilled, her eyes were lifeless and unseeing. Shock overtook my body and I stumbled backwards, into that damned table. The noise caught the attention of the dark man and he turned. His glowing golden-yellow eyes focused on me and I could sense him smiling maliciously. When he spoke his voice was smooth, but sinister.

"Come hither, little one. Would you like to say hi to your mommy and daddy?"

I staggered back a few steps.

"Oh, come now. No need to be difficult. I always finish what I start, so we can do this the easy way or the hard way.", he said, taking a step in my direction

That's when I ran. I bolted through the living room, across the foyer, and burst out the door. I started down the road, running as fast as my short legs could carry me and screaming at the top of my lungs. All along our street, lights flickered on behind closed curtains. I could feel him coming closer. I could also feel the coldness again, ironically burning at my fingertips. Suddenly the footsteps were right behind me and I felt a burning pain across my left shoulder. I cried out and fell to the pavement. I rolled over, lying on my back, and came face to face with the killer. He raised his right hand, ready to strike me down. I brought up my arms, waiting for pain and death to consume me, but it never did. I peeked out from behind my arms to find the man on the ground clutching his side. It was covered in ice.

The man looked at me curiously and tried to stand, only to fall back down again. He then started laughing manically and gave me an evil smirk.

"You may have gotten away this time, but this will not be the last you see of me. I always finish what I start."

He raised his hand and was encircled by a cloud of, what seemed to be, black sand. Then he was gone, just like that. I was left alone on the pavement scared, confused and, worst of all, orphaned.

(End of flashback)

But that was many years ago. Seventeen years ago to be exact. I'm now twenty-three years old, living in my own apartment in New York. Why New York, you ask? Well you see, after my parents' murder I was distraught. What made it even worse is that the killer seemed to have vanished entirely. Since then I've been hellbent on finding him. I started to look into it when I was thirteen. By the time I turned eighteen I'd tried every possible angle in Arendelle. Then one day a news report stated that similar murders had taken place in America, near New York. So after I graduated, I accepted a scholarship from NYU for a degree in journalism.

My life consisted of studying, investigating and waitressing at the diner across the street. Once I graduated I got a job at Walt Disney Times, which is a major publisher. They publish newspapers, magazines, they even have their own blog! My role at WDT is simply being a journalist, which is great. I love what I do and sometimes the stories I look into are connected to my investigation. They're calling him 'The Boogeyman' because of his dark appearance and his ability to slip away unnoticed. Apparently he's a serial killer famous for targeting families with unique history. He's ruthless, cunning and meticulous.

As I lay in bed my thoughts run wild. I still haven't found him and somedays it seems as though I've worked my way into one huge dead end. I never give up though. I can't give up. Not after everything my parents did for me and Anna. I let out a sigh. Anna... She'll be graduating this year. Apparently she's staying in Arendelle after that, at least that's what uncle Kai and aunt Gerda told me. Anna and I haven't been all that close since our parents' death. In an effort to keep my powers a secret, I had shut out all outside contact including my sister. Eventually I got control of my power, but not entirely. Whenever I get emotional, I still have to keep myself in check.

I roll onto my side and check the glowing numbers of my alarm clock. I then see that it's only five o'clock in the morning. I groan tiredly. There's no way that I'll fall asleep again. I lean over and switch on my lamp, filling the room with a soft yellow glow. I roll out of bed and stumble over to my bookcase. A while ago I realised that keeping my research out in the open was a bad idea. I then reinvented my bookcase as a sort of covering for it. The bookcase is attatched to a rail which it slides across from side to side. The bookcase is kept in place by a latch at the top of the rail. I reach for the red book on the right of the middle shelf and pull it, unlocking the latch. I slide the bookcase to my left and enter the secret room behind it.

Yes, I do indeed have a secret room. I use it to store my research about my investigation. I stand in front of my bulletin board, tracing the string that connects the murders.

My name is Elsa Winters, and I will find my parents' killer.

AN: Phew! Why are my first chapters always the longest?! Oh, and I chose the name Eira 'cause apparently it means 'Snow' in Welsh. I know there are many names that mean 'Snow', but this name just seemed fitting. It's pronounced 'AY-ruh'. Not that it's very important or anything. Anyway, I hope you liked it... I'm really excited to start with this story. I think Jelsa is a great fandom with loads of potential. So if you liked it, please show some love with a Fav/Follow/Review. If you didn't like it...sorry...

(P.S. Sorry if I'm a bit chatty in my AN's, it's just a thing I do...)

See you next time!

DDxx


	2. The Almost-Interrogation

_**AN: Good day, fair people of Fanfiction! I'm glad to have gotten a reaction from you guys. Shout out to Ninja Shadow in the Night and Gracialoveme for reviewing, thanks so much! Though I'm quite happy for getting a reaction, could you guys pretty please keep it going? It might be hard to believe, but every Fav/Follow/(encouraging)Review really helps! It's really motivational. So anyway, on to the important stuff: May I present to you...Chapter 2!**_

Chapter 2

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I groan as the offending noise rings in my ears. I reach a hand out to my right, ready to whack the damned thing into oblivion. However, the only thing my hand comes into contact with is a large stack of files. The contact sends them flying across the small room, the papers scattering across the wooden floor. My eyes fly open as I realise that I'd fallen asleep in my hidden room. I peel my cheek away from the keypad its resting on and spin around in my desk chair. Oh, thank goodness. At least I remembered to lock the latch again. The one time I forgot to lock it, I'd almost sent myself into a panic.

Nobody knows about my private investigation or my history. In other words, they think my parents died in a car accident. They can't know about my parents' murder, otherwise I'd be taken off the related stories immediately. At WDT they don't allow you to look into a story if it hits too close to home. I'd say having your parents murdered by the bastard who's on every front page hits pretty close to home. If anyone finds out about this...

I take a look at my watch. Crap! It's already seven o'clock and I have to be at the office by eight. I fly out of my chair and quickly leave my hidden room, making sure to lock the latch. I'll clean up the mess of papers once I get home. After brushing my teeth and taking a quick shower, I rummage through my closet for something to wear. I decide on a long sleeved thin white blouse, a navy blue pencil skirt that ends just above my knees and my nude heeled pumps. I don't usually wear heels to work. They don't really mix well with the loads of travelling I do every day, chasing after stories and all. Today is an exception though, since I'll be working in the office for the most of the day. Besides, I have to wear these heels eventually. I bought them on impulse when they were on sale, but haven't had the opportunity to wear them yet.

I blow dry my hair and fix it into my usual french braid. After applying a light layer of make up, I grab my brown leather briefcase and head out the door. I'll get breakfast later. I squeeze into my Fiat 500 and I'm off. Don't judge the Fiat. Sure it's small and sometimes a bit of a tight squeeze, but it's just what I need. It's not like I have an entire family or a shipload of friends to chaperone. I can't afford a bigger car anyway. I'm not complaining about my salary at all. I mean, I make a fair amount of money. It's just not the kind of money that allows you to buy a Mercedes.

I park in front of the tall building in my usual parking space, which is under a roof near the enterance. I make it to the office with mere minutes to spare. I drop into my desk chair and breathe a sigh of relief. I see one of the more junior journalists, Rapunzel, peek over the shallow wall that divides our cubicles. She giggles at me.

"That was a close one. I was starting to wonder if you had driven off a cliff or something!"

"Punzie, I was barely late!",I laugh. "Besides, you aren't one to talk. You've had countless late mornings and each time I've had to cover for you."

"Well, it looks like I'm going to start repaying the favour. This is not like you. Wait, let me guess! You... had a guy over?", she guesses excitedly. She's been trying to hook me up with someone since the moment she stepped into this office.

"Was it Darryl? _Please _tell me it wasn't Darryl. I mean, I know you liked him and all, but he was kind of an ass. He had a hot body though. Oh, I know! It was Robert! You always did have this thing for European guys. Then again, his accent was _so _annoying! Not that I have anything against Europeans, but his accent was just downright peculiar. You know what? I bet it was Allen. I know you weren't too keen on him, saying he was pretentious and all, but maybe you followed my advice. You know, inviting him in after hours for a little -"

"Rapunzel Primrose Corona! Oh my gosh! No, I did _not_ spend the night with any of your 'suitors'!"

Punzie simply rolls her eyes.

"Hopeless...", she mutters, thinking I can't hear her.

I shoot her a glare before turning to my desk. Just as I'm about to pull out my laptop, a voice interrupts me.

"Winters, would you step into my office for a moment?", Mr Micks calls.

I gulp and nod at him. Mr Micks is my boss. I'm not really sure why I'm nervous. He's actually very easygoing and hard to anger. However, the furrow between his brows is everything but easygoing. I walk up to his office and knock on the door. I hear his muffled reply.

"Come in!"

I step in nervously.

"You called me, Sir?"

"Oh yes, of course! You needn't sit down, Miss Winters, this will only be a moment of your time...and please relax! I feel like a damned school principle who's just called in a delinquent student!"

I chuckle at his statement.

"Now Miss Winters, you are one of our very few journalists who is working The Boogeyman story, correct?"

I nod.

"I just got a call from the NYPD saying that a new murder has taken place. They say it's The Boogeyman's work, no doubt. Apparently there's a witness this time, Ariel Waters. I want you to head over there and check it out. See what you can get out of the witness, assess the crime scene...You know the drill.", he says and hands me a sheet of paper with the adress on it.

My curiousity spikes when he mentions the witness. There has never been a witness before. Except for me, that is, but nobody knows that. I nod and leave his office. While I pack away my things, Punzie comes up to me.

"Hey Els, what did the boss want? Did he find out about you being late? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I really thought I -"

"Punzie, it's fine. Mr Micks didn't find out about it. He just asked me to look into something, that's all."

"Oh, okay. See you later then!"

I laugh to myself. I swear, sometimes that girl is just too perky for her own good. Once I'm in my car I check the address again. The neighbourhood is about an hour away, but I don't mind the drive. It gives me time to mull things over in my head.

I'm still in shock over the witness. Usually The Boogeyman just kills them off, but not this time. Why would that be? Did he not see her? Did he allow it? Does he see this as some sort of game? Many questions plague my thoughts. You see, this is why I'm a journalist. I ask all the questions and seek all the answers, no matter what. I have boundaries, of course. Just because I'm a determined journalist, doesn't mean I have no respect for the rules.

I'm brought back to Earth by a wall of black vehicles blocking my way. I park in front of them and walk across the street to the small group of people standing on the front law of the house. The ambulance is gone by now and all who's left are the police and, of course, the witness. A head of bright red hair draws my attention. The girl has long wavy hair, blue-green eyes and bright red lips to match her hair. She's wearing a sea green sundress and black flats. Bingo! I have found the witness. I start towards her with steady strides. Surprisingly, no one stops me.

Just as I reach out to tap her shoulder, a hand grips my wrist and pulls me aside. I'm about to give this jerk a piece of my mind, until I look up and meet the most brilliant blue eyes that I've ever seen. And is his hair white? Amazing... He looks to be my age, probably a bit older. He's much taller than me and his lean, yet moderately muscular, form towers over me. Not in an intimidating way, though. I actually find it quite comforting. He's wearing brown chinos, a dark blue t-shirt that compliments his toned biceps and black converse.

I snap out of my daze when I realise that a) I'm staring, and b) the guy is talking to me.

"Uh, Miss?", I hear his deep voice call.

"Oh, uhm, yeah. Sorry what?"

Great job, Winters. Tripping over your tongue in front of a hot guy. Rapunzel would be ashamed. The guy chuckles, then takes on a more serious expression.

"I was saying that this is a private investigation. You're not allowed to be here. If you want to talk to the witness, you're going to have to wait until we're done with her. Which is to say, if she isn't put into witness protection."

I almost scoff at this. Witness protection my ass. I'm a witness and do I look like I need protection?! But, of course, I can't tell him that. Then I process the rest of his sentence.

"What do you mean, 'I'm not allowed to be here'? My boss sent me here because he got a call from the NYPD saying that they had a witness. Your people need to get their shit together!"

Yeah, I like to swear when I'm mad. It's just a reaction I have when I'm pissed off. I start to feel an all too familiar chill work its way into my fingers. I clench my jaw and ball my fists, fighting it back.

"You know what? Fine! Call me when you're done."

I fish out a business card from my briefcase and hand it to him. I spin around and stalk over to my car.

"Damn vultures.", I hear him mutter.

I get into my car and slam the door shut. I take a couple of deep breaths to calm myself down. I can't believe that jerk! Telling me that I'm not allowed to be there. What a load of crap! I call Mr Micks and explain the situation to him.

"Don't worry, Winters. They probably just had a misunderstanding. I'll tell you what. Why don't you go someplace quiet and work on your other projects while you wait for them to call you back?"

"Shouldn't I come back to the office, Sir?"

"No, there's no need for that. You'll probably arrive here a minute before you need to leave again."

"Okay, thank you Sir."

I sit for a moment and think. I just met the sexiest Police Officer in New York, or was he a Detective? Oh gosh, that makes it even sexier. I'll admit, he's infuriating as hell, yet there's something that's drawing me to him but I don't know what. All I know, is that I'm begging to see those eyes again. Want to know what the strange part is?

I don't even know his name.

_**AN: Another day, another chapter. Yay, now we've got a story going here! In the next chapter we'll finally find out who this sexy mystery-man is, but I get the feeling that you already know. I just need to clarify a few things in this chapter:**_

_**1) Primrose is the Queen of Corona's name, so it seemed fitting for Punzie's middle name.#**_

_**2) Mr Micks is, in fact, Mickey Mouse! I just tried to humanize him a bit. I mean, having a mouse for a boss doesn't seem very realistic and Mr Mickey or even Mr Mouse seemed too weird and unoriginal. **_

_**So, I hope you enjoyed it! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter (hint hint) ;). Here's a little inspirational quote for you. **_

_**"The more you read, the more you know**_

_**And the more you learn, the more places you'll go."**_

_**-Dr Seuss **_

_**Until next time!**_

_**DDxx**_


	3. Detective Jack Frost

**_AN: Hey there! Now before you sharpen your pitchforks, let me explain the reason for my absence. First I had a mountain of tasks to complete before the exams, which left me no time for writing (plus I kind of had to study for my Biology exam in between tasks). I then had to write the dreaded exams which ended today (Friday), but this chapter might take a while to post seeing as I have wifi problems… I swear, I would've posted an apology chapter if that were possible. My parents took away the laptop during exams and I can't post from my phone. I did post an apology review though! (A little late, but it's there). Just please rest assured that I would NEVER abandon a story, so if I'm not updating it's for a good reason. So who's ready for another chapter? :D I'd like to give a shout out to the following awesome people who reviewed:_**

**_Gracialoveme_**

**_Estherthelion_**

**_Ninja Shadow in the Night_**

**_LucyTheBookWorm_**

**_And the two Guests._**

**_To the other two guests who thought I left the story: I'm truly sorry about that!_**

**_And to g b th...okay..?_**

**_I'd just like to say, for those of you who see the Batman-related side of this story...to be honest, I didn't even think of it like that. So please don't expect the plot to play out like it does in Batman. 'Cause trust me, I'm pretty sure it won't. And if there are any parallels, they are unintentional (Not that I don't love Batman or any of the other DC/Marvel characters). Enjoy the chapter!_**

Chapter 3

I take Mr Micks' advice and head over to a quiet place to do some work. I decide to go to The Blurb, my favourite coffee shop and book store, which is owned by my good friend, Belle. Their coffee is great and it's got free wifi! All the more reason to love it! The loud crackle of lightning draws my attention and tiny drops of rain fall scatter across my windshield. I look up ahead and see a mass of dark grey clouds start to roll in. _Great._

Don't get me wrong, I love this kind of weather. It makes me want to snuggle up on the couch with blankets and a cup of warm hot chocolate. The only problem is that I didn't exactly plan my outfit accordingly. This morning's weather report said, and I quote: "Clear skies for New York with temperatures between 30-35 degrees Celsius! So get out your bathing suits, 'cause it's gonna be a hot one!"

Mhm. Yeah, that's why there's a storm brewing outside, right? Damn those weather reporters... And now I'm stuck wearing a short-ish skirt, a thin _white blouse_, no jacket and no umbrella. If I get my blouse wet, I'll look like I belong at a freaking wet t-shirt contest.

As I near The Blurb, I try to look for a parking space right outside the shop. Being the unfortunate person that I am, there isn't. With a sigh I park just across the street. By this time, the rain has started to grow heavier. It's not exactly pouring, but it's certainly not light anymore. I decide to make a run for it, before it's too late. I clutch my briefcase to my chest, in the hopes of preventing my blouse from getting wet. I jump out of my car, making sure to lock it, and run across the street as fast as my high heels allow me to. I can feel the rain pelting against my face, but luckily I'm wearing waterproof make up. I hop over a few puddles, before entering The Blurb.

A bell chimes as I enter and much needed warmth fills my body. Look, it's not like I get cold easily. I almost never get cold, but being wet whilst the wind is biting at your skin is bound to make you shiver. The enticing smell of cinnamon buns and coffee overwhelms me, making my mouth water in anticipation. I head over to the counter where Belle is working. When she spots me, she greets me with a warm smile.

"Elsa! It's so good to see you again. How are you?" she asks.

She and I were roommates in University, along with Merida DunBroch. Belle was studying English Literature and Business. Aside from being incredibly smart, Belle was also the knockout on campus. None of the guys could resist her fair skin, slim yet curvy figure and her flowing brown locks. She, however, never paid attention to any of them. She was down to earth, loyal, kind and dedicated to her studies. She still is, minus the studies part. Although she no longer studies at the university, she spends her time buried in her books. She's quiet and a bit shy, but all in all, she's a great friend.

Merida is the opposite of Belle. She studied to become a physical trainer. To say she's loud is an understatement. That girl is downright wild. She's fun, eccentric, tough as nails, sometimes a bit offensive, but a loyal friend. She was originally from Scotland, thus having untamed ginger hair. It was bright orange when we first met her, but we convinced her to dye it a few shades darker. She has pale skin, crystal blue eyes and a lean figure. I haven't seen her in quite a while, seeing as we no longer room together.

"Hey Bells! Ugh, don't ask. I got chased away from a crime scene. How are you? How's business?"

"I'm great and business is pretty good too. Especially since the weather's acting up these days. Looks like people are finding comfort in books and good coffee! And wow, chased away from a crime scene, huh? I'm actually surprised that it didn't happen sooner, with you being the persistent journalist that you are." she says with a playful smirk.

"Oh, shut up and let me order my coffee!" I tease.

"Okay, Miss Winters, what will it be this time?"

"Hm...I think I'll have a vanilla hazelnut latte with cream and a raspberry Danish to go."

"Alrighty then, I'll call you when your order's ready!"

"Okay, thanks!"

Normally I'd take something with chocolate, but I'm trying to eat healthier... Okay, so ordering an indulgent latte and raspberry Danish isn't exactly healthy, but the rest of my meals aren't as bad and I go for a run every other morning. I head over to one of the brown leather-covered booths by the window and turn on my laptop. I open up the file containing my draft and research for my latest article about a charity for the homeless.

I see my final version of the article and open it up. I scroll down to the bottom to see how far I am and, much to my surprise, I see that the article is complete. I then proof read the article multiple times, correcting all my spelling mishaps, and insert a couple of photos that I took the day I visited the charity. I decide on one where a young man is giving an old lady a cup of coffee. The look of pure gratefulness in her eyes is what moves me and makes me choose the photo. I change the colouring to black and white, crop the photo a bit and insert it into the article.

"Hey Els! Your order's ready!" I hear Belle call.

I give her a nod and save my work, before shutting my laptop and sliding it into my briefcase. I walk up to the counter where my latte and Danish wait for me. I pay for my treats before moving to a small table to add a spoonful of sugar to my latte. I see that it's still coming down outside, so I'll have to sprint to my car while carrying my latte, Danish and briefcase. I'm almost out the door when someone crashes into me from the front. The force of the impact nearly knocks me over, but somehow I manage to stay upright. My latte, not so much... I hiss in pain as the scalding hot drink comes into contact with my skin. I look down and see the brown liquid seeping through my white blouse. Shit! White. Blouse.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry, are you okay? Wait- here, let me help you." the person apologises frantically.

I instantly recognise that deep voice and look up to see a head of messy white hair. Standing before me is the Detective from the crime scene, who is now wearing a black leather jacket over his shirt. I long to see his eyes, but they're elsewhere at the moment. He grabs a napkin from a nearby table and tries to clean up the mess on my blouse. This only causes more problems, because first of all, I think he's actually spreading the stain and second of all, he's rubbing my chest in the process. I think he realises this too, because suddenly his eyes go wide and I swear I see him blush. He looks so cute when he blushes...wait what?

He quickly snatches his hand away from my chest and looks away abashedly. He gives an awkward cough. I try to stifle a laugh at his behavior.

"It's fine, really. It's just a blouse..." I say nonchalantly. I look down and my eyes go wide. My ice blue bra is showing through the wet material clinging to my skin. I clutch my briefcase to my chest and hope he didn't notice.

Once I finish speaking, his eyes shoot up to meet mine. His eyes light up in recognition and his lips part in shock.

"You're the journalist from the crime scene." he states.

Something inside me flutters and I feel heat creeping up my cheeks. He remembers me... Then I remember why I was so ticked off in the first place.

"And you're that jerk who chased me away from the crime scene." I retort whilst trying to get rid of my blush.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I was just a bit...stressed out. This case has been going on for quite a while now and we just can't seem to track the guy down. Our boss also hates it when the media gets involved, so we have strict orders to keep you guys away from the crime scene. I'm really sorry if I came off as a bit of an ass back there." he offers with an apologetic smile.

I relax and return the gesture.

"It's fine."

My briefcase slides down a bit, causing my blue bra to peek out over the top of it without me realising. His eyes momentarily flicker downwards before shooting up to meet my eyes again.

"Uh, your br- uhm... uh... thing...is uhm...showing..." he stammers.

I turn bright red and slide the briefcase higher over my chest. He sees my problem and starts to take off his jacket. I raise an eyebrow when he holds it out towards me.

"Take it. It'll uhm...cover up more."

I blush and take the jacket, mumbling my thanks. I zip it up, but not all the way, and revel in his body heat that lingers inside the jacket.

"Come on, let me get you another coffee." he says and gently takes my leather-clad elbow.

"No, you don't have to do that. Really, it's fine! I should really get going n-"

"Go where? We're not done with the witness yet. Besides, it's my fault that your coffee spilled so I might as well make it up to you while we have time."

I look at him sceptically.

"Please?"

I feel the corners of my mouth curve into a smile at this. He almost sounds like a little boy.

"But we're practically strangers, and I don't even know your name."

"Very well, my name's Jack. Jack Frost. See, now we're not strangers anymore!" he says, pulling me to the counter.

I roll my eyes and smile at his childish antics. I see Belle heading towards us and she raises an eyebrow when she sees me once again.

"Good morning, sir! Welcome to The Blurb! What can I get you?"

"Hey, I'd like a black coffee and a..?" he looks to me questioningly.

"Oh! A vanilla hazelnut latte please." I say, sheepishly.

"Okay, I'll call you guys when your order's done!" Belle replies. Once Detective Frost turns away, she mouths the word 'later' to me and gives me a stern look.

We find a booth and sit opposite each other. He sits with his arms folded and is sporting an amused expression. I sit awkwardly with my hands folded in my lap.

"So seeing as you know my name, I think it's only fair if you do me the honour of telling me yours?" he asks.

"Why of course Detective," I say, giving him a playful smirk. "I'm Elsa Winters."

"Nice to meet you Elsa, and please call me Jack."

I smile and nod.

"So listen, I'm really sorry about the whole coffee incident. I'll even replace the blouse, if necessary. You're okay though, right? You didn't get burned too bad?" Jack says, leaning forward and he actually looks concerned.

"No, not at all! I think the only thing that got hurt was my pride." I reply sheepishly. "And don't worry about it. I'm sure I have more of these at home, so it's no big deal."

Just as he opens his mouth to argue, Belle calls out our order. After picking up my untouched Danish and briefcase, I give Jack a victorious smirk and head over to pick up our coffees. He follows me there and we both add sugar to taste. As we walk out of the coffee shop, I realise that it's no longer raining. However, the streets are still wet and the sky is still a gloomy shade of grey.

"Would you like some help?" Jack asks, seeing me struggle to balance everything.

I nod gratefully and he takes hold of my briefcase. Our fingers brush against each other during the hand off, and I let out a small gasp. Luckily, he doesn't seem to notice. He follows me across the street to my car. I set my coffee and Danish down on the roof, and take the briefcase from Jack. After fumbling for my keys, I unlock the door. I throw in my briefcase, grab my treats and set them in the car.

As I turn around to say goodbye to Jack, I end up slipping on the wet pavement (the pumps aren't really helping me either) and I feel myself falling back. I squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself for a collision with the cement, but it never comes. A hand wraps around my waist, holding me steady. I cautiously open my eyes and meet Jack's startlingly blue ones. His eyes search mine and vice versa. We're both breathing heavily, most likely from shock, as we stare into each other's eyes. The sudden honking of a horn breaks us out of the trance. Jack pulls me upright, steadying me on my feet.

"Careful there. We wouldn't want to spill another coffee now, would we?" he says and gives me an amused smile.

I laugh light heartedly and his hand drops from my waist, much to my dismay.

"Well, thanks for the coffee. I'll see you around?" I ask.

"You can count on it." He says, giving me a wink. "Goodbye, Elsa."

"Goodbye, Jack."

We go our separate ways and I climb into my tiny car. I check my phone and see a message from Mr. Micks telling me that I can work from home for the rest of the day, seeing as I've been out and about for the most of it. He also asks me to send the article on the charity by the end of the night. Well, he doesn't have to ask me twice.

As I'm driving home I turn on the radio and start singing along to my favourite song, Let It Go by Demi Lovato. My mother always told me that I had a great singing voice. When I was younger I'd sing all the time, just to see my mother smile. I haven't sung in a while, though. I don't sing as much as I used to before that night. Sometimes I wonder if my mother still smiles at me from above when I sing. The thought brings tears to my eyes and my fingertips turn cold instantly. Luckily, I arrive at my apartment before my emotions get out of hand. I get out of the car and head to my apartment.

Once I shut the door I realise that something is amiss. I move to take off my jacket, when I suddenly do a face-palm. Jack's leather jacket. I sigh and shove my hands into the pockets, but my right hand comes into contact with something pointy. I take it out and see that it's Jack's business card. Was that what his game was? Leave your jacket and number with the girl and hope she calls back? That's actually not half bad. It kind of forces the person in question to make contact with you again.

I take out my phone and dial Jack's number. He answers on the first ring, almost as though he was expecting my call.

"Why hello there, Gretel. I see you've followed the bread crumbs." He says, chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah, real smooth, Frost." I tease and roll my eyes. I walk towards my hidden room and unlock the latch, planning to do some research on this Ariel Waters girl.

"Ouch, back on first name basis are we? I guess I'll have to change that by taking you out for coffee again." I can practically hear him smirking on the other side of the line.

I slide the book case out of the way and enter, before putting the bookcase back in place.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? And who's to say that I- "

I stop mid-sentence at the sight before me. The blood in my veins turns to ice out of fear and my stomach drops. I faintly hear Jack calling my name in the background, but my attention is elsewhere. The room looks the same as it did this morning, except for one thing.

On my desk is a neat stack of files with a piece of paper resting on top. I shakily take a few steps to the desk and look at the note. The paper is a dark grey and seems to be made of a grainy substance. The ink in which the message is written is pitch black with a familiar golden-yellow sheen that sends shivers down my spine. The message is almost unreadable against the grey of the paper, but somehow I manage to make out the words:

**SEE YOU SOON**

My heartrate skyrockets. No, no, NO! It can't be him! In a fit of rage and denial, I make a grab for the note to tear it to pieces. As soon as my hand comes into contact with the note, it evaporates into a cloud of black, swirling dust. I back away into the far corner of the room, but the black cloud seems to follow me. I involuntarily inhale the dust and start coughing uncontrollably. I hear Jack frantically calling my name in the distance, meaning that I probably didn't hang up. As I struggle to breathe, I silently pray that Jack is on his way.

Darkness creeps into my vision and the last thing I see before losing consciousness is a watching pair of golden-yellow eyes.

**_AN: Mwahahaha! Your first major cliffy! *enjoys evil laugh for several more minutes* Well, look on the bright side: Elsa has officially met Jack Frost! And they had a few cute moments together. I'm really sorry about the cliffy (nah), but I've got to do something to keep you all interested. So did you like it? Please let me know _****_J_********_Did you hate it? In that case… please move along, nothing to review here… But I do accept friendly advice :D So I'd love to hear your thoughts surrounding this chapter: your favourite moments (if you have any), thoughts on the end of the chapter, etc…_**

**_Until next time!_**

**_FUN FACT:_**

**_Hamsters can store food half their weight in their cheeks… does that make me a hamster? XD_**

**_DDxx_**


	4. Strange Encounters

**_AN: Hey everyone! I'm truly sorry for only updating now, but LIFE you know. And omg I'm such a terrible person, I left you all on an awful cliffy! I also realise that it was 'last name' and not 'first name' as I said in the previous chapter. Damn... My exams turned out to be a major pain in the ass, and I think I might have failed my chemistry exam or at least came close to failing. Anyways, back to the story! I hope you all like how it plays out, even though it may not be how you expected or what you wanted. Oh, and there's a very important AN at the bottom. Read!_**

Chapter 4

As I come to awareness I know that I am dreaming. I must be dreaming, because such darkness can't possibly be real. My body feels weird too, almost as though it is floating. I pinch myself, and gasp in surprise when I feel the stinging sensation in my arm. Is it possible to feel pain in dreams? I look around, but it's so dark that I can't even tell if I'm turning my head or not. Are my eyes even open? I try to remember how I got here, but the last thing I can remember is being in my hidden room and... the black dust! It was The Boogeyman's work, I know it. Ice flows through my veins, and I can't tell if the origin is fear or my unpredictable powers.

Suddenly a sinister laugh breaks the deafening silence, and it seems to echo all around me, acting as a cage.

"It is indeed your delicious fear, little Elsa. I must say, I have never tasted fear as sweet as yours... Oh, how you spoil me!" a familiar, yet unwelcome voice calls.

If I wasn't afraid before, I am most definitely afraid now. I hear that voice every night during my nightmares, but this time it feels different. It's like the invisible barrier of sleep that separates dreams from reality is no longer there, and that terrifies me. In the darkness I see something move, which my brain immediately tells me is impossible. I can't even see my own hand in front of my face, so obviously my mind is playing tricks on me.

The shadows continue their haunted dance, and contort into horrific figures. They seem to creep closer like panthers ready to pounce on their prey. My breathing quickens and I tell myself to run, but my legs do not comply. I feel warm, dry breath ghosting across the back of my neck and a shiver wracks my body. Then a coarse, bony hand wraps around my wrist. I emit a strangled scream: The involuntary product of my throat-constricting fear and sheer horror.

In the distance I see a speck of golden light, and suddenly the creatures draw back. I feel a wave of relief, but something doesn't feel right about it. As the light draws nearer, his voice invades the dark space once more.

"I see you have met my underlings. They seem to be quite fond of your fear, little Elsa. I can see the desire in their eyes, and feel the hunger that burns within them."

"What do you want from me?" I ask, miraculously keeping a quiver from my voice.

"Why, isn't that a good question? Well you see, when you were just a girl all I wanted was to kill you. Your family has an intriguing history, you know. The power of ice and snow: Very uncommon, but extremely powerful. I thought that the blood in your veins was as worthless as that of your parents, but then you revealed your true self to me."

My body goes tense, with jaw and fists clenching, when he mentions my parents. How dare he? After all he did, he has the audacity to speak of them in front of me, not to mention that he just called them worthless! I vaguely notice my veins adopting a faint ice blue glow, but I choose to ignore it. It has happened before, but only on rare occasions when my emotions are unchecked. The speck comes even closer, but I am too distracted by my anger to take notice.

"That night you opened my eyes to new possibilities. Join me, Elsa. Let us form an allegiance and together we will reign over all. The world will bow at our feet in terror. You will own treasures that put all others to shame. You will hold fate in your hands, and get your taste of freedom."

I give a short and mirthless laugh at the mere idea of what he is suggesting.

"Do you really think I'm so stupid that I'd sign on with the homicidal psychopath who killed my parents? Yeah, you know what? Thanks, but I think I'll decline." I sneer in the general direction of his voice.

"I don't think you understand the position your in right now-"

"Yeah, no shit! I can't see a freaking thing and I have no idea where I am, but I'm assuming this is a dream."

As soon as I finish my tiny rant, a large, rough hand grips my throat. The speck is now closer than ever, and there ends up being two of them. Except they're not specks; they're eyes.

"Do not interrupt me, you witless child. Do not give me a reason to punish you, for I will not hesitate to do so." he hisses in my ear, before abruptly releasing my throat.

I fall down and cough as oxygen flows back into my lungs. When I look up, the his golden gaze is still on me, most likely calculating whether I'm on board yet or not. Ha! Like that would ever happen. I see something click in his eyes and his gaze turns significantly colder than before.

"I see you've made your choice."

The figures start moving again and start to circle around me, faster and faster.

" Just remember my promise to you."

I frown in confusion, and sand swirls around me as the wind picks up.

"I always finish what I start." he drawls, before I am hit with a wave of sand and lose consciousness.

xxx

The first thing I notice as I regain consciousness is that I have a pounding headache. I open my eyes and stare at the white ceiling. I'm in my bedroom on top of my bed. Wasn't I just in my hidden room? My feet are bare and my hair is free from its braid, now flowing around me like a pale halo. Then I remember my encounter with The Boogeyman. His last sentence rings through the halls of my mind. He's not gone, he's only in waiting.

A sharp knock on the front door jerks me awake (well as awake as I can be right now). I stumble to the door and pause for a minute to shake some of my dizziness, before looking through the peephole. My sleep addled mind takes a second to figure out that it's a very worried-looking Detective Frost. I open the door. As soon as he sees my face, his features relax with relief.

"Detective, can I help you with something?"

"First of all, I already told you to just call me Jack. And are you seriously asking me that? You're the one who sounded like they were choking to death not even an hour ago!"

"Wait, what?"

That can't be possible! I was in that wretched place for at least three hours. Granted that it was all just a dream, or a nightmare...

"What's this about a nightmare?" Jack asks me, looking slightly more alert at my oblivious mention of it. Shit, I must have been saying my thoughts aloud again then. Jack grins at me.

"Yeah, you kind of were."

I turn my head away to the side to hide my embarrassed blush, when his eyes suddenly dart to my neck. His smile drops immediately.

"Elsa, what happened to your neck?"

"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion.

Before he can say much else, I rush back inside and head for the bathroom mirror. I scoop my hair aside and what I see makes my stomach drop. Long purple and blue bruises blossom across my throat and around my neck. The finger-shaped bruises lie in the exact spot where The Boogeyman gripped me.

I can see myself visibly paling at a sudden thought. What if it wasn't just a nightmare? What if it had been real all along? But it couldn't have been, could it? Then again, I first lost consciousness in my hidden room, but I woke up in my bed. Someone moved me. The mere thought of him touching me makes me shut my eyes and shudder. I feel a hand on my shoulder and give a small startled jump. My eyes fly open and land on a very worried-looking Detec- I mean Jack Frost.

His hand falls from my shoulder to gently take my elbow and guide me to my living room. He seats me on the crisp white sofa, before taking a seat in the matching armchair opposite me. He seems to be waiting for me to speak first.

"Just go ahead and ask." I say.

"Fine, if you insist. What happened?"

"I don't know."

I know that I'm lying, but there's no way that I'm telling him about my encounter with The Boogeyman. I barely know him and, since he's with the police, he might suggest that I be taken into custody or witness protection or even take me off the Boogeyman cases. No, I can't tell him.

"Bullshit. You don't just get strangulation bruises and not notice it. This afternoon when we parted ways you did not have them. So let me rephrase my question: what happened between when I left and right now."

At this moment he sounds every bit the Detective that his badge proclaims him to be. I'm impressed at his efficiency, but I don't appreciate the tone he's using on me. It makes me feel as though I'm being interrogated, which I guess I am in a way. I take a deep calming breath before answering.

"I got home without any incidents. Then you and I started talking on the phone and..."

I trail off, knowing that I can't mention my hidden room either.

"And what?"

I scramble for an answer. If I don't answer him soon he'll know that something's up.

"I was walking to the couch when I started choking on a piece of muffin... I tripped on the rug and fell. My neck hit the side of the table-" I say, motioning to the glass coffee table between us. "and was knocked out. I don't remember much else, only that I somehow got to my bedroom. I woke up when you arrived."

He doesn't buy it; that much is obvious. I can only hope that he'll drop the subject and leave good enough alone. His eyes narrow in suspicion. I can tell that he wants to push the matter, so I cross my arms and stare at him in defiance. I will not back down. He seems to notice this and sighs, running a hand through his snowy hair. When he looks at me again his eyes are softer than before.

"Look, I can't make you tell me the truth. I just want you safe, I don't want to see you get hurt. If you're in danger I need to know. We can help you."

He looks so sincere that I almost consider spilling the beans, but I quickly get myself in check. Nevertheless, I relax my posture.

"I appreciate your concern, Jack, but I can assure you that it is not necessary." I say, and his eyes flick to my throat and back. I give a small cough. "Uhm, I'm sure you still have a busy day ahead of you, so I won't keep you any longer. Call me when your people are done with the witness."

He nods, grabbing his jacket, and we stand and head for the door. Jack is just out of the doorway when he turns to face me.

"Hold on to my card, okay? Don't hesitate to call me for help."

I nod and give him a small smile, which he then returns. His hand reaches up to brush my hair aside. His hand ghosts over the bruised skin of my throat, almost tenderly so. My stomach flutters, but I dismiss the reaction. His smile becomes sad and his eyes find mine once more.

"Stay safe, Elsa." Jack says softly, before lowering his hand and returning to his car.

As I watch him drive off I find myself oddly missing his touch, and the protection that his presence brought me. I'm being ridiculous, of course. Why would I miss him? It's probably because I rarely have company at home. Yeah, that must be it.

Now that I'm alone in my apartment after all that has transpired, I start to feel fear creeping into my heart. I imagine that The Boogeyman must be delighted at this. I can almost hear his psychotic laughter, and shudder at the sound. He's probably watching me at this very moment.

I walk back into my room to lay on the bed, only to stop short. The exact place where my body rested not too long ago is outlined with black sand, leaving only the snowflake-covered ice blue silhouette of my body on the duvet covers.

Well, I guess I'm staying on the couch tonight.

**_AN: Okay this is a VERY IMPORTANT AN! I know that it's been half a year since my last update, and I have apologised for that. It is my deepest regret to then say that I will more than likely be going on another long hiatus, because of academic reasons. All of my marks this year will be used to apply for university, which I'm sure you can understand is a big deal. My academic performance is of the utmost importance, so do not be surprised if there are little to no updates during the year. I'm not happy about it either, writing is one of my strongest passions. I sincerely ask that you be understanding of my situation and that you be patient with me. _**

**_Now that my formal speech is over, let me tell you that I'll miss you all dearly and I hope that you do not lose faith in me. The hiatus also includes my other ongoing Arrow fanfiction, The Bachelorette. Academic achievement is a big deal for me, so yeah, please understand! Happy 2016 everyone, I hope that you all have a great year! And hopefully also stop writing your headings with '2015'... goodness knows how long I'll be doing that for XD_**

**_Love you all!_**

**_DDxx_**


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